Paris Bourse clerks struck on January 3rd in protest against ico ieloy in providing sickness benefits to a clerk who fell ill during bourse hours, The strike will affset the functioning of insurances, banks, debentures, and .nvestment oompanias. —— ee
During the next few days the fate of the Fanfani coalition government will almost certainly be decided. Dissolution of Parliament is imminent and a general election will have to be held during the next six months at least, Neither Nenni's Socialist Party nor the Christian Democrat Party seem enthusiastic over this possibility. Both fear a loss of votes to the left, It doss seem however that the coalition govt will come to an end, If the Fanfani government is forced to resign it will be replaced by « carstaker government pending the holding of selections, ‘his would give both sides a free hand in election campaiz- “ning bat implictly it would be interpreted throughout Italy as the and of the Cantre-Left coalition, and its rejection os a failure, AUSTERITY PLAN JN AUSTRIA AS A RESULT OF RECORD BUDGET DEFICIT.
Dre Klaus (he's no Santa), Austrian Finance Minister has ordered a drastic austerity programme as a result of a record mdget deficit and decreased taxation receipts, 50% of the so-called development funds at the disposal of the *~violis ministries hava beon frozen as well as 196 of the funds available for nuwiinistrative expenditures this can only agzravate the situation and create un~ ~anployment. The austerity measures will affect in particular Federal invest— “ment in railways, road—btuilding and research projects. Meanwhile, public employees are demanding 2 5 to 9% salary riso. }
imployers aro determined in Wost Germany to decrease the amount of * 4ncreaso given to workers, Last year this wes 2 national average inorease over the previous year of 10%, But the unions have forwardéd several demands and « Btruggle will develop. The Metal Yorkers! Union - sim to closs the gap betircsn minimum wage rates and actual earnings, The gap is around 20%. The miners’ Union which ran the only major strike in 1962 in the Saar is also pressing for an increase. “The chemical workers are pressing for an extra 12%. The Trads Union Federation in an end of year report ssya that about 14m men, or two cut of thres members of the national labour force obtained increase in 1962, The latest union success was 3d to 4d an hour for 500,000 textile workers, Nationally, 15m, men are on a five day wook, (Source: Financial Times, Jan 2,)
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